Refrigerating apparatus.



W. J. KELLY. REFRIGERATING APPARATUS.

APPLIGATION FILED mums, 1914.

Patented Dec. 29, 1914.

3o s I n a because re-absorption and d stillation can-- not proceedsimultaneously in a single vessel Y To all whom it may-concern:

UTE srarus Parana rrri.

w WILLIAM J. KELLY, or enroae'o, rumors, assrenon ro aurovaonnrrREFRIGERAT- ms company, on NEW- on nnnstouIsIaNA, A coaronarron orLouisiana.

asrnrennarme APPARATUS.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patl t d D 29 191% Continuation ofapplication filed ma 2 1913, Serial No. 770,004.. This application filedMarch 5,1914.

I Serial no. 822,632.

Be it known that'l, WILLIAM J. KEI'JLY, a citizen of the United "States,and "a resident of Chicago, Cook county, Illinois, have invented acertain new, useful, and Improved RefrigeratingApparatus, of which thefollowing is a specification.

M y'inven'tion relates to ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatutgandhas special reference'to improvements fupon, and for use'with therefrigerating apparatus which is disclosed 7 in the Smith Patent No.1,035,221, granted September 10,1912. Such an apparatus orsystemlcomprises a containerflfor aqua ammonia, with means for heatingit periodically to drive ofi'the. ammonia in the form of gas; acondenser for liquefying the gas; a reservoir for the liquid ammonia;and, a refrigerating element or coil wherein the ammonia by expansionperforms its refrigerating function. The coil deliversthe gas or:expansate to the containerfor re-absorption by the weak aqua ammonia ineach cycle remalnmg from the previous distillation. Suitable valves. areincluded in the system for use during the period of distillation andcondensation, and during the period of expansion'and' re-absorption. "Insuch systems .or apparatus, as

commonly used, refrigeration is intermittent or container. Asuspejnsionof refrigeration may be avoided by the alternate use of two containers,with two bodies of aqua ammoniaybut the double cost of apparatus andaqua ammonia is disproportionate to the benefits secured. Further, suchsystems are. limited to the useof anhydrous orsu bfour o'rfive percent.of water in the liquid ammonia makes them 'ineliicienh'unreliable andcostly, and to exclude .wat 'er it is neese saryto de-hydrate the gasbefore condone ing it, or to rely upona slow 'and incomplete terruptionof refrigeration; and, when distillation isincomplete, Yerylittle liquidtillate is secured and frequent distill'ations are required with asmanynterruptions of refrigeration. p I The general stantially anhydrousliquid ammonia. Even monia absorption refrigerating apparatus;

lengthen the main period of absorption; to accomplish continuousrefrigeration 120 a single apparatus and with a single quantity or bodyof aqua ammonia; and, to provide for the expansion and re-absorption' ofliquidammonia containing ten, twenty and even higher percentages ofwater with as good or better results than generally do tained withanhydrous liquid ammonia.

A still further object'of my invention is to simplify and improve theconstruction and lessen the. cost of refrigerating apparatus generally,and mrtioularly apparatus of the kind disclosed in, the aforesaid Smithp atent..'

My invention consists generally in an ammonia absorption refrigeratingsystem having'a container which alternately-serves as an absorber and asa still, in combination with means for establishing a substantial vacuumover the hot weak liquor when absorption .tank and means. for fillingand emptying said tank from and into the con? tamer andfor diverting,the eXpansate from the container and into said tank when distilla-tionbegins in the container.

My invention also consists in special con structions and in combinationsof parts all as hereinafter described and particularly pointed outin theappended claims; andwill be more, readily understood reference-toitheaccompanying drawings, forming a part of-thisspecification, and inwhich b Figure 1 is a diagrammatic sectional View of an apparatusembodying my jinvention in a preferred form. Figs. 2, 3, :l, 5 and 6 aresimilar diagrammatic explanatory views,- .w1th-the container 1ntransverse section, setting forth several operations which take place inthe apparatus. v

As shown in Fig. l the main container,

which serves alternately. as an absorber andstill, comprises two closedtanks or compartments A and B, occupying horizontal positions one abovetheother and connected by restricted and, preferably, siphonic pas-.-

' i I Sages or pipes a and I). K is a cooling coil bje'cts of myinvention. are,.v to increase the distillation capacity of amarrangedinthe upper compartment, and 7c is its regulating valve and k theoutlet. "01' and serves to deliver the distillate to the conof thecontainer. In lieu of a fuel I sometimes employ a steam coil S in the isa pipe through which the flow or expansate from the refrigerating coil Jenters the lower compartment. As shown the pipe d opens into thecontainer at a point-beneath the lower'end of the fall duct 6. L repre--sents a fuel burner (of which Z is the regu lating valve) used forheating thecontents burner lower compartment. And to avoid loss of heatI inclose the lower. art of the container in a casing or hood en to theair at the 'top and bottom. a As siown a pipe F, provided with apressure and vacuum gage f, leads from the top of the containerdenser-E, the coil whereof is shown in dotted linesf is a shuntofi? orback check valve which has an outlet valve H. To this valve in the pipeF. e and e are the water suply and overflow pipes of the condenser. hecondenser coil leads to thereservoir G,

is connected the refrigerating element or coil J. J 2 is the expansionvalve of the refrigerating coil. The expansate or return pipe J of'thecoil joins the pipe (1, as before intimated, a valve (1 beinginterposed. C is the auxiliary absorption tank. The bottom of the tank Cis connected with'the con tainer and with the return pipe J by a pipe(1, containing a valve d. The upper part of the tankG is connected withthe upper compartment of the container by a pipe 0,

containing a valve 0. M is a sight gage glass upon the upperpart of thecontainer;

and m, m m are indicating marks on the gage glass, which facilitate useof the, apparatus' 3 The mark? as applied in the drawings indicatespressure; the mark V indicates 'a partial vacuum; the mark, indicates anopen valve; and, the mark a: indicates a .closed valve.

,The diagrammatic drawings depict the i Fig. (3 the condition after therefilling of the auxiliary tank, when absorption is beginning in themain. container, but before the valves 0 and, al? have been closed.

In initially preparing this improved apparatus fun-use I preferably fillthe container with aqua ammonia of about 30 'Bauni and preferablyexhaust the air from the system. In some cases I'a-lso partially fillthe auxiliary tank 0 with clear water and put a small chargeof'anhydrous ammonia in the reservoir G, so that refrigeration may beinitiated while the firstdistilla tion isgoing forward in the-maincontainer.

The process may also be started by charging both the con'tainerand theauxiliary tank with clear water and the reservoir. withanhydrous/ammonia and proceeding with ab-. sorption in the containerimmediately after driving or exhausting the air from the system. Afterthus preparing the apparatus, it is used as follows: Starting with abody of strong aqua ammonia in the container A--B, I reduce it; to aweak state by distillation,.and liquefy the distillate, for use in therefrigerating coil J. I then withdraw a small quantity or portion of theweak liquor from the container and holdit in reserve inthe auxiliarytank 0.. At that time I con- .neet the refrigerating coil with thecontainer, so that re-absorption may proceed therein. The liquor in thecontainer ultimately'again reaches a strong state through absorbingexpansate and I then divert the flow from the container and into theauxiliary tank C, While the flexpansate, is being .caredjforinthis ay,11 again distil the contentsof the container and liquefy the distillateas before.]' .,When this re-distillation is finished I disconnectthereturn or expansate pipe .fromcthe auxiliary tank and a ain ]o1 n it tothe container. At that time ex change the then strong liquor in theauxile iary tank 0 fora-fresh reserve of weak liquor, frolnthevcontainer, so that the describedoperations may be repeated. And

thus I bridge' the usual gap between distillation and 'reabsorption inthe container,

and uninterruptedly conduct refrigeration in the coil. As explainedhereinafter, I preferablyf accomplish, the exchange of liquorautomatically without using a pump orthe like for that purpose. Thereturn flow of expansate being substantially constant, it is obviousthat the volume of liquor held in reserve must be proportioned to the,

time the container is out of use as an absorber. .In other words, itssize depends upon the time consumed in distilling the main body andpreparing vit to again re ceive the flow from the coil. If thedistillation periodis long the reserve must be correspondingly large.-The reserve body is weak when first withdrawn from the oontainea but itis strong at the time it .is exchanged. The mixing of a large body ofstrong liquor with the weak liquor in the 'container. would increase thestrength of both the'la'tter and the next body of reserve liquorand bythus reducingtheir absorptive capacity would, in the sum of efficiency,.

practically negative the benefits of conti-- nuit'y. 'Threfore myinvention includes 1,1aa,eos a means by which I reduce to a minimum the.li'eriod during which the flow from the coil,

is excluded from the container, and by which I am enabled to carry onrefr1gera- 5 tion continuously by the aid of a reserve body so smallthat its return to the main body does not materially diminish theabsorptive capacity thereof.

' In operatinguthe apparatus, by means of the burner or the steam coilor both, I

rapidly forcethe temperature in the contamer to a point wheresubstantially complete distillation is accomplished in a minimum oftime, and then at once create a 5 vacuum in the container.

explained I prefer to create this vacuum by means of the cooling coil Kand by restricting the flow between the compartments A and B, as by thepipes a, I), rather than by a vacuum pump or the like. The vacuum 5marks the end of the distillation period for immediately thereafter andWhile the weak liquor is still hot,-though somewhat below steamingtemperature, I turn the expansate into the-container, and alsorecharge'the 1 auxiliary tank with "liquor. All this I accomplish inabout one fourth the time which usually elapses between the moment ofapplying .heat to the container and gothe resumption of absorptiontherein, and thus I make it possible to successfully bridge this gapwith a ver small reserve or auxiliary body of-Weak' iquor.

. Though my apparatus admits of the makpg ingand use of anhydrousammonia I preferably make no effort to exclude water from the liquiddistillate in the reservoir G, for to do'so would increase the costandlessen i the quantity and the rate of distillation, but

{go on the contrary I rapidly forcedistillation untilga considerablequantity of water is driven ofi along with practically all the amamoniainthc liquor. Thus I avold theusually observed limitations upondistillation and,

.45secure a maximum .of distillatein a minimum of time, the distillatebeing a liquid T solution comprising a major part of ammonia and a minorpartof water; I I think there should always be at least five percent. of

water in the solution, but beyond that theproportions may be variedwithin considerable limits, and-thus far I have securedthe best resultswith ammoniacal liquids containing from twenty to twenty-four per cent.

of water. a I call .the hydrous liquid here described Wet ammonia to"distinguish it from the dry or anhydrous liquids 1n geni success of thegap-bridging reserve is in per cent. of ammonia.

monia usually restores the liquor to 30 As hereinafter the weak liquor.As stated, 'I prefer to begin with 30 Baum aqua z'tinmonia, if need beenriching aqua ammonia with anhydrous ammonia, to secure that degree ofsaturation. I usually continue distillation until the liquor retains notmore than five Re-absorption of arm Baum condition. These fluctuations,from strong to Weak and from weak to strong, are repeated in each cycleof operations. *Weak liquor swells or increases in volumefrom theaddition of expansate, whereas the driving 5 olf'of ammonia gas andwater vapor from a quantity of strong liquor reduces its volume. Hence,the volume of the liquor in the container varies at diiferent stages ofthe operation. This is 'also true of the liquor in the auxiliary tank.Thus Fig. 2 shows the relative volumes at the time that re-absorptionceases in the container; Fig. 4 the relative volumes at the'en'd of thedistillation period before the. exchange is made; and Fig. 6 thecondition after the exchange. lntiergnediate stages are depicted inFigs. 3 an l i As depictedin Fig. l, the container holds weak liquor andis receiving expansate from the will The valves f, c, d are closed.

The valves d H and J are open. The valves 71: and Z. are closed becauseneither cold nor heat are required in the container during theabsorption stage. There is a nearly complete vacuum in the top of thecontainer, the vacuum having been obtained,

preferably, in the manner hereinafter described. Throughout this stagethe auxiliary tank C contains a quantity of weak liquor and a vacuum,previously derived from the main container. Absorption con-1; tinuesunder these conditions until the liquor in the container is restored toa state of saturation and has increased to a volume which nearly fillsthe container. The vacuum in the container is sometimes but not alwayscompletely destroyed when this stage is reached. The conditions at theend of the absorption period are well depicted in Fig. 2. \Vhen theliquor in the main container is substantially saturated a continued flowof expansate would only build up a back pressure in the container andreduce the efliciency of the system. At that time,

therefore, I close the valve d and open the valve 01 thus qutting of?the container and diverting the expansate into the auxiliary tank G.Then I make a fire beneath the container, orheat its contents by thesteam coil S. Ammonia. gas begins toevolve or distil from the strongliquor at a verylotv temperature; about 60 degrees Fahr. in the caseof30 Baum aqua ammonia; and 'a Y pressure is quickly builtup in thecontainer.

When the pressure exceeds ninety pounds I tainer is rapidly reduced; Inpractice the open the valve 7 and permit the gasto flow drop of pressurefrom, say, two hundred 1nto the condenser E,1n which meantime the poundsto atmospheric pressure is accom- .fiow ofcooling water has beenstarted. plished in approximately five minutes; 2'. 6.

Under such pressure the gas liquefies in the condensation continuesuntil the hot liquor condenser. The liquefied ammonia is 001- ceases togive off steam .under the reduced lected in the reservoir. G. \Vhen thestand-' temperature. The sudden drop of temperaing pressure in thereservoir is high, the ture liquefies much of the ammonia gas andopening of the valve 7" is delayed until the all of the Water vapor. Theremoval of the pressure in the container equals that in the gas isdoubtless also aided by the absorption reservoir. As ammonia leaves theliquid in the container, higher-temperatures are required to drive 01fthe remainder; and obviously .thesehigher temperatures are automaticallyobtained by continuing the fire under the container. I employ'heat ampleto raise the temperature rapidly, and expedite ammonia distillationwithout regard to temperatures that will generate steam from the water.The only limitations upon the heating of the container are those ofeconomy, to prevent Waste of heat, and the capacity of a condenser,proportioned to prevent "an excessive accumulation of pressure in thecontainer.

It it to be understood that a pressure of 90 and rises nearly to the to.

thereof by the cooled water of condensation. That is, much of theammonia is thrown down with the water. It appears, however, that not allof the gas is removed in this Way, for after the pressure drops to aboutzero there follows a violent surging of the liquor through thecirculation pipes, at and Z), and the liquor repeatedly dashes through,of, the upper compartment. The surging is undoubtedly due to the suddenrelief of pressure in-the upper compartment and the momentarily higherpressure and density of the liquor in the lower compartment which causethe iquor tosurge through the restricted passage or passages between thecompartments.

to 250 pounds may exist in .the container iThe surging of the liquordiminishinglyconduring the several stages of distillation; and

that most of the ammonia-is driven off be,

fore the liquor is hot enough to generate steam, at the pressureattained. But even after that temperature is. reached I continue theheat for the purpose of driving off all but a small residue of ammoniaand at the same time driving off a quantity of steam or Water vapor. Thegas and the vapor both pass to the condenser and are there liquefied. Inthis manner I almost wholly rid the liquor of ammonia and thus put itin-the best possible condition to absorb ammonia. In doing so, I takefrom the contents of the container and store in the reservoir (ir underthe pressure of condensation, substantially the maximum of ammonia thatmay be obtained from the given quantity of 30 Baum aqua ammonia; theliquid condensate containing upward of twenty per cent. of water. Havingdone this I extinguish the fire beneath the container and close thedistillate valve f. It'will be remembered that at this time the coil Jis still discharging into the tank 0 and not into the container.

As soon as the'heat is cut off and the valve f closed, and while theweak liquor in the container is still hot, I create a nearly completevacuum in the container. For this purpose I employ the contents of thecontainer in conjunction with a How of cold water in the cooling coil K.At that moment very little liquid remains in the upper compartment, butit is filled with hot distillate, of whic if my ob servationbe correct,-water is the chief constituent. Audit follows that,

as it is chilled by the cooling coil, condensati0n ensues and thepressure in the consorption of ammonia.

tiniies five to ten minutes, at the end of due to-the describedagitation of the weak liquor in the upper compartment, it being clearthat under such circumstances the which time the liquor resumes asubstanweak liquor quickly absorbs and retains the ammoniagas. It mightbe expected that the weak liquor when relieved of pressure in thismanner would give up its ammonia and destroy the void instead of takingon more ammonia, but this is not the case for the quantity of ammonia inthe weak liquor is very small, and though the liquor is at that timehot,its tension or affinity for ammonia is greater than that of the void inthe top of the container. Therefore, when once the vacuumis establishedand the liquor conditioned as above described, I stop the flow of waterin the cooling coil K, and, opening the valve 0?, allow expansate toagain enter the container; all within ten to twenty minutes after theheat is shut ofi and hours before the liquor would cool to the pointusually regarded as essential to effective ab- Immediately upon resumingabsorption in the container I exchange the then strong liquor in thetank C for a fresh reserve of the weak liquor from the container.Instead of using a pump for this purpose I preferably take advantage ofconditions existing in the two containers at the moment. The addition ofexpansatc to the auxiliary body of liquid during the dis pressure in theauxiliary tank.

tillation period is suificient to considerably increaseitsjvolumeasiwell as its strength This condition isindicated in Fig. at.The increase of volume reduces ordestroysthe vacuum and sometimesultimate-s in aback Therefore after the vacuum is formed in thecontainer a marked difference in pressure exists be-' through the pipecl. This liquor is relatively cool and serves to somewhat reduce thetemperature of the main body of liquor in the container, and being ofrelatively small volume the addition of ammonia from the auxiliary tankdoes not materially increase the strength of the larger body. Theemptying of the auxiliary tank and the momentary addition to the volumeof liquid in the container may be clearly'understood on comparison ofFigs-4 and 5.- Upon the emptying of the auxiliary tank I open thevalve-(Kin the pipe 0 whereupon pressure ronditions are equalized in theconnected tanks and Weak liquor from the container flows into theauxiliary tank, corresponding levels being established. I then close thevalves 0 and a and thus shut off the auxiliary tank from both thecontainer and the refrigerating c oil. Obviously the auxiliary tank isvthus filled with hot weak liquor under a vacuum, and by the cooling ofthe liquor while waiting tobe used, the vacuum in the tank is somewhatincreased,

My purpose" in placing the equalizing pipe 0 below the top of the tankC,is to prevent the complete filling of the auxiliary tank at the momentof. equalization and to thus leave room for liquid expansion, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. The auxiliary tank may best occupy a verticalposition near the upper part of the container, but-if care be used inoperation it may be placed below the-container, suitable arrangementbeing always made to discharge the liquor from its bottom, Theinterchange may be performed in various ways and good results may evenbe secured when the equalizing plpe c is dispensed with or is connectedwith the lower-part of the container.

The absorption of expansate in 'the contamer proceeds from the momentthat the valve cl is opened until, after many-hoursin the case ofapparatus of usual dimensions, the 'condltlon depicted in Fug. 2 1sagain attained and it again becomes neceso dist'il the then strongliquor, where upon the valve (Z is closed and the valve (Z open toagain. divert the expansate into the auxiiiary tank and enablerefrigeration to proceed uninterruptedly while a new dis- 2E5 tillationgoes on in the container,

To avoid uncertainty inoperation I calibrate the gage glass M, placingthe marks m, m and m at levels assumed by the liquid on termination ofrespective operations. Thus the mark m indicates the end of theabsorption period and the substantial destruction of the vacuum in thecontainer. The mark m when the liquid drops to that level, indicates thecompletion of distilla;

tion, .i. e. the making of a full measure of condensate 'contaimng theproper proportions ofv ammonia and water. -And the mark m indicates theemptying ofthe auxiliary tank. The-fallof the liquid therefrom to themark m shows-that. the auxiliary tank has refilled, and that the valves0 and d may be closed;

Reverting to the. cooling operation by which the vacuum is secured inthe container, it is obvious-that the weakliquor,

if any, in the bottom of the upper compartment will be somewhat reducedin temperature by the cooling coil but that, following the describedsurging of theliquid in the container and the shutting off of the .waterfrom the coil, the temperatures are substantially the same in the twocompartments of the container; however, a slight circulation continuesthrough the siphonic ducts. And this circulation is resu. red oraugmented whenever the lower is-hotter than the upper compartment; asfrom the more rapid radiation of heat from the upper or an increment ofheat in the lower compartment. The circulatory exchange of cooler forwarmer liquor tends to keep that in the lower compartment in highlyabsorptive condition.

Referring to l it will be seen that the down pipe I) delivers the coolerliquid from the upper compartment upon the stream of expansate enteringthrough the pipe (1 and that to escape from the com partment A theexpansate bubbles are compelled to move through the whole length of thecompartment before reaching the up flow pipe a; this insures completeabsorption.

\Vhen the sure is permitted to escape from the reservoir G through anexpansion valve J it immediately vaporizes and expands Within therefrigerating coil J. The constituent Water of this solution, unlikeliquid ammonia, would not expand at atmospheric pressure or against backpressure, but nevertheless the solution does expand effectively underthe combined effect of its inherent pressure and the vacuum in eitherthe container or the auxiliary. If my observation be correct, thesolution cxpandsias one body or substance and the initial expansate is avapor of said solution Proportionally,the expansion or, evaporation ofthe constituent water is of ,greater efl'ect than that of the 1:

described solution under presconstituent ammonia, and this enforcedevaporation of the water under vacuum conditions, results in aproportionately greater absorption of heat. Thus I add material to theheat absorption and in allcases I secure as much or morei'efrigeration,pound 'for pound, from this wet ammonia than from anhydrous or dryammonia.

Weak liquor under vacuum ineither the container or the auxiliary tankhas a great aflinity for ammonia-and in a similar sense an aihnity forwatervapor. Therefore the weak liquor takes .up the expansate' as 1aidly as it enters from the refrigerating co Primarily the' weak liquor,through the effect of contact, condensers'and takes up the water vapor,and simultaneously absorbs the constituent ammonia, and thus bothconstituents of the expansate return together and are absorbed I by theweak liquor, whether the same is hot or cold and whether or .not thereoccurs aypreliminary separation of the ammonia gas and water before theexpansate reaches the weak liquor, WVater under a vacuum 1s an unstableliquid and when once vaporized tends to. retain its vaporous state; andany water which is condensed by the impact of the vapor upon the wallsof the refrigerating coil is at once. atomized or re-vaporized by thehigh veloc-.

'ity gases, which under a vacuum, move through the coil at great speed.From these facts it follows that very little of the water find specialexplanation of the absorption of vapor separates or is condensed untilit enters the weak liquor in the container.

The process here described involves an unusual and unexpected result inthat both expanded anhydrous ammonia andthe herein described aqueousexpansate are readily absorbed by .weak liquor at a'temperature littlebelow that at which it would steam. As before stated, I do not wait forthe weak liquor to cool after distillation but turn the expansate intothe container at once. addition to the facts previously mentioned I theaqueous expansate by hot liquor, in the fact that the constituent watervapor is of relatively larger volume than the constituent ammoniagas',.and onentering into con tact with the liquor is atonce condensedand accelerates and insures absorption of the accompanying ammonia. Andby the time saturation has'proceeded to the point where the liquor wouldnot take u ammonia at so higha temperature, radiation produces atemperature. low enough to retain the absorptive capacity of the liquor.Obviously,

the liquor (at any non-steaming tempera-- ture) will always absorbwater.

If apprehend thatthe great success and high eificiency of the hereindescribed process lies largely in the. presence of so great a quantity.of water vapor in the expansate that its condensation by the weak liquorstimulates, and maintains theeiiect of, a vacuum in the return )ipe ofvthe system,

This joined to the effect of the vacuum above the liquor results in themaintenance of a vacuum condition that insures the effective expansionof both constituents of the wet ammonia in the coil. v 7

After the reservoir is first charged the ex' pansion valves H and J areopened and thereafter remainopen constantly or as long as refrigerationis required This being understood the mechanical acts performed upon thedescribed apparatus maybe sum- .marized as follows:-When the liquor thecondenser. .The valve f, if automatic,

opens when the pressure in the container balances that in the reservoirG; if not automatic the valve f is manually opened at a moment indicatedby the gage 7'. When the liquor shows at the mark m the fire is eX-'tinguished and the valve f closed. Then the water is turned into thecoil K, by open-' ing the valve is. WVhen the liquor rises in the gageglass and finally subsides, the water valve is closed, and immediatelythe valve (i is opened, to resume absorption in the container and permitthe tank G to empty thereinto. This action is indicated by a rise ofliquor-to the mark m on the gage (glass and thereupon the valve 0 isopene to permit the tank C to refill. The refilling of the tank'resultsin again lowering the liquor to the gage mark m and thereupon the valves(i and c are closed, and absorption proceeds in the container until theliquor again rises to the gage mark m loc- A marked advantage of therefrigerating system here described-isthat the aqua ammonia may bedistilled as often as desired without interrupting refrigeration .in thecoil and therefore a container of very moderate size serves every.purpose where the operator is present or where automatic means areprovided to control the heat and operate the several alves;

Where the contai er is heated at frequent "intervals I prefer to prolongthe-use of the coolin oil K, or to use the coil S (when provi ed with.Water connections, 'not shown) for co'oling'the liquor in the lowercompartment immediately after the described surging ope1 'ation,-mypurpose in so doing'being to initially extract enough heat to insure asufficiently low temperature at the time when the liquor is saturated bya relatively quicker return of the ammonia. Absorption may be prolongedin the auxiliary tank C by using a cooling coil therein,

man acs but I find this necessary only installzr,

tions that are called upon to su ply disproportionately largerefrigerating coils and inand in still.other cases I use a plurality ofducts, opening all thereof during -di'stillation and closing some ofthem at the momentof cooling the upper compartment and duringre-absorptio'n.

One advantage of my invention is that the several operations areaccomplished Withoutthe aid of power actuated pumps, compressors or the.like; nevertheless it is evident that, though not so desirable,- a pumpmay be employed when desired for emptying and refilling the auxiliarytank, and in large systemsiavacuum pump may be employed in connectionwith either or both the'container and the auxiliary tank.

It will now be clear that all of the objects set forth in the opening ofthis specification are attained in my invention; chiefly, by.

the use of the auxiliary tank and the means for creating and mainta ninga vacuum over the hot liquor 1n the container. The results of myinvention are, continuous refrigeration more refrigeration from a givenquan tity of liquor, a greater quantity of distillate from eachoperation; fewer distillations; simplified and briefer operations; theavoidance of the common objections to water in the refrigerating coil;the elimination of the losses commonly associated with the dehydrationof ammonia; and, the avoidance of the need for duplicate apparatus.

While I have illustrated and described my invention in accordance withthe requirements of the patent statutes, I desire it to'be understoodthat the details of con-. struction may be materially varied and thatvarious changes, modifications and substitutions may be made in theapparatus illus trated Without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention as set forth in the appended claims.

This application is a continuation of an application, Serial No.770,004, whichI filed May 26,1913, and no abandon in favor of thisapplication. I

The herein described process is not claimed in this application but isboth described and claimed in a'companion application of even dateherewith.

Having thus described, my invention I claimas new and desire to "secureby-Letters Patent: k

1. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower closed compartments which are in restrictedsiphonic circulatory connection, in combination with a heater, means forcreating asubstantial vacuum in the upper part of the container, anauxiliary closed tank, means for filling and emptying said tank from andinto the lower part of said container and for directing expansatc intoeither said container or said tank.

9. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower-closed compartments which are in restrictedconnection, in combination with a heater, means for creating asubstantial vacuum 1n the upper part of the container,

an auxiliary closed tank, means for filling and emptying said tank fromand into 'the lower part of said container and for directing expansateinto either said container or said tank.

3. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower closed compartments in restricted connection,in combination with a heater for the container, a cooling coil in theupper compartment thereof, an auxiliary closed tank, means for fillingand emptying-said tank from and into the lower part of said containerand for directing expansate into either said container or said tank.

4. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower closed compartments in restricted siphonicconncctionyin combination with a heating coil in the lower compartment,meansto suddenly cool the contents of the upper compartment to create asubstantial vacuum therein, an auxiliary closed tank,

,means for filling and emptying. said tank from and into the lower partof said container and for directing expansate into either said containeror said tank.

5. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower closed compartments which are in restrictedconnection, in combination with a heating coil in the lower compartment,a cooling coil in the upper compartment, an auxiliary closed tank, meansfor filling and emptying said tank from and into the lower part ofsaidcontainer and for directing expansate into either said container or saidtank.

6. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper S. In an ammonia absorption refrigeratmg apparatus, acontainer compris ng upper and lower compartments in restrlctedconnection, in combination with a steam coil in the lower compartment,and a cooling coilin the upper compartment thereof, for the purconnection with said container, a liquid level indicating gage for saidcontainer and auxil- .iary tank, a valved distillate outlet for said'upper tank, and an expansate pipe'in'valved connection with said lowertank and said. auxiliary tank.

'10. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower horizontal tanks in restricted connection, incombination with a heater therefor, cooling means in the upper tank, avertical auxiliary tank in valved connection with said tanks, a valveddistillate outlet for said upper tank, and an expansate pipe in valvedconnection with said lower tank and said auxiliary tank.

11. In an ammonia absorption refrigerat in'g apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower compartments in restricted connection, incombination with a heater therefor, cooling means in theupper-compartment thereof, a liquidlevel indicating gage upon the uppercompartment, an auxiliary tank beside said container and in valvedconnection therewith, a valved distillate outlet'for said uppercompartment, and an expansate pipe in valved connection with said lowercompartment and said tank.

12. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower compartments in restricted connection, incombination with a heater therefor, cooling means in the uppercom-p'artment thereof, an indicating gage for the upper compartment, anauxiliary tank in valved connection with said container, a valveddistillate outlet for said upper compartment, and an expansate pipe invalved connection with said lower compartment and said tank. 3. In anammonia absorption refriger ating apparatus, a container comprisingclosed tanks one above the other, in combination with means connectingthem for restricted siphonic circulation, a distillate outlet to r theupper tank, an expansate inlet in the lower tank, and cooling means insaid upper tank.

l i-l In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising horizontal closed tanks one above the other, in combinationwith means connecting them for restricted siphonic circulation, adistillate outlet for the upper tank, a valved cooling coil in'said'upper tank, and an expansate inlet in the lower tank.

15. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising two horizontal closed tanks one above the other, incombination with means connecting them for restricted siphoniccirculation, a heating coil in the lower compartment, a cooling coil inthe upper compartment, a distillate outlet For said upper tank and anexpansate inlet in said lower tank.

16. An ammonia absorption refrigerating system. having a container whichalternately serves as an absorber and as a still, in combination withmeans for establishinga sub stantial vacuum over the hot weak liquorwhen distillation ceases therein, a' small auxiliary absorption tank andmeans for filling and emptying said tank from and into the container andfor diverting the expansate from the container and into said tank whendistillation begins in'the container.

17: An ammonia absorption refrigerating 1 system having a containerwhich alternately serves as an absorberand as a still, incombinationwith means for cooling the upper part of said container and causing theliquor to surge therein to establish a substantial-wammm over thehotweak liquor when distillation ceases therein, asmall auxiliaryabsorption tank and means for filling and emptying said tank from andintothe container and for diverting the expansate from the containerandinto said ta'nk when distillation begins in the con tainer.

18. An ammonia absorption'retrlgerating system having a container whichalternately serves as an absorber and as a still, in combination withacooling coil in the upper -part of the container for establishing asub,

stantial' vacuum therein, a small auxiliary absorption tank and meansfor filling and emptying said tank from and mto the container and fordiverting the expansate from r T the container and into said tank whendistillation begins in the container. I

19. An ammonia absorption refrigerating system havin a. container whichalternately serves as an absorber and as a still, in combination withmeans for establishing a substantial vacuum over the hot weak liquorwhen distillation ceases. therein, a small auxiliary absorptiontank,"means .for filling said tank with liquor under vacuum from.

the container and for emptying the contents of said tank mto thecontainer and an expansate pipe in valved connection with the containerand tank.

20. In an ammonia absorption refrigerating apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower horizontal closed tanks restrictedcirculatory connection, in combination with a heater therefor,- a heatretain- I ing casingfor the lower tank, a cooling coil 'in the uppertank, a valved distillate outlet for said ppcr tank, and a valvedexpansate pipe lead ng into said lower tank.

21. In an ammonia absorption refrigerat ing apparatus, a containercomprising upper and lower horizontal closed tanks in restrictedcirculatory connection, infcombination with a heater therefor, a heatretaining casing for said tanks, a. cooling coil in the upper tank, avalved distillate outlet for said upper tank, a valved expansate pipelead- 15 mg into said lower' tank, and an auxiliary absorption tankoutside said casing and in valved connection with said container andsaid pipe.

The container, the valved distillate pipe, the condenser, the reservoir,the expansion valve, the refrigerating element, and the valved expansatepipe of an ammonia absorption refrigerating system, in combination withan auxiliary tank in valved 5 connection with saidexpansate pipe and thelower part of said container, for the pm,

poses described.

23. The container, the valved distillate pipe, the condenser, thereservoir, the expansion valve, the refrigerating element,

andthe valved expansate pipe of an ammonia absorption refrigeratingsystem, in combination with an auxiliary tank having its lower part invalved connection with said cxpansate pipe and the lower part of saidcontainer, for the purposes described.

24. The container, the valved distillate pipe, the condenser, thereservoir, the expansion valve, the refrigerating element,

and valved cxpansate pipe of an am? monia absorption refrigeratingsystem, in combination with an auxiliary tank having its lower part invalved connection with said expansate pipe and the lower part of saidcontainer and a valved equalizing connection between the upper parts ofsaid tank and container, for the purposes described.

25.'The container, the valved distillate pipe, the condenser, thereservoir, the expansion valve, the refrigerating element,

and. the expansate pipe of an ammonia ab sorption refrigerating system,in combina tion with an auxiliary tank connectcd'to said expansate pipe,a valve in that connection 5 .and another valve in said pipe betweensaid connection' and the container, for the purposes described. 26.'l'lie container, the valved distillate pipe, the condenser, thereservoir, the ex- 0 pansion valve, the refrigerating element, and theexpansate pipe of an ammonia absorption refrigerating system,- incombination with an auxiliary tank connected to said expansate pipe,awake in such connect tion, a valve in said expansate pipe between pipe,the condenser, the reservoir, the expansion valve, the refrigeratingelement, and the expansate pipe of an ammonia absorption refrigeratingsystem, in combina tion with a comparatively small auxiliary tank andmeans for directing the expansate from said expansate pipe either intothe bottom of said container or into the bottom of said tank and forputting said container and tank into communication, for the purposesdescribed.

28. The container, the valved distillate pipe, the condenser, thereservoir, the expansion valve, the refrigerating element, and theexpansate pipe of an ammonia absorption refrigerating sysem, incombination with a comparatively small auxiliary tank, means fordirecting the expansate from said expansate pipe either into the bottomof said container or into the bottom of said tank and for puttingsaid'container and tank into communication, and a valved equalizingconnection between an upper part ofsaid tank and the container, for thepurposes described.

29. The container, the valveddistillate pipe, the condenser, thereservoir,tthe expansion valve, the refrigerating element, and theexpansate pipe of an ammonia absorption refrigerating system constructedto maintain a partial vacuum in said container at the inception andduring the re-absorption period, in combination with a 'closed auxiliarytank having its lower part in valved connection with said container andexpansate pipe and a valved equalizing connection extending from ahigher point in said tank to an hpper part of said container, for thepurposes described.

30. The container of an ammonia absorption refrigerating system, incombination with an cxpansate pipe leading into the lower part of saidcontainer, a valve therein, a relatively small auxiliary tank in valvedconnection with the container and said pipe, a valved equalizingconnection between the tan and container and a gage which indicates thefluid action within and between said tank and container, for thepurposes described. r

31. In an ammonia absorption. refrigerating system, a containercomprising upper and lower closed tanks conneetedfor siphonic submergedcirculation and a heater of said lower tank and extending nearly to thebottom thereof and an expansate inlet opening into said lower tanksubstantially at the lower end of said down flow pipe. In testimonywhereof, I have hereunto set my hand, this 2nd day of March, 191%, inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

WILLIAM J. KELLY.

Witnesses CHARLES GILBERT HAWLEY, N. \Jn'n'rls LAMMONDE.

